1And there was a long strife between the house of Saul and the house of David. David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2And David had [six] sons in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelite;

3 and his second [son] was Daluiah by Abigail, the former wife of Nabal, a Carmelite; the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

44 - Adonijah son of Haggitha; the fifth, Saphatiah, the son of Abitala;

56th - Jepheram of Eglah the wife of David. They were born to David in Hebron.

6When there was a quarrel between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner supported the house of Saul.

7Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?

8Abner was very angry at Ishbosheth's words, and said, "Am I the head of a dog?" I have shown mercy against Judah this day to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, but thou hast now exacted sin upon me for the sake of a woman.

9Let God do this and that to Abner, and do more to him. As the Lord swore to David, so will I do to him:

10I will take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and set the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Bathsheba.

11And Ishbosheth could not contradict Abner, for he was afraid of him.

12Then Abner sent messengers from himself to David [in Hebron, where he was], saying, "Whose land is this?" And again, say, Make a covenant with me, and my hand will be with you, to convert all the people of Israel to you.

13And he said, "Very well, I will make a covenant with you, but I ask you one thing, namely, that you will not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul with you when you come to see me."

14Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give my wife Michal, whom I received for a hundred circumcisions of the Philistines."